Old/New Testament
Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat[a]
Chapter 8
Vision of the Ram and He-Goat. 1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, I, Daniel, had another vision subsequent to the first vision that I had previously experienced. 2 In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa[b] in the province of Elam, standing by the Ulai canal.
3 When I looked up, I saw a ram standing beside the river. It had two horns. Both of the horns were tall, but one was taller than the other, although the other had appeared first. 4 I observed the ram butting toward the west, the north, and the south. No beast could withstand it or escape from its power. It did as it pleased and became very strong.
5 As I was pondering this, a he-goat appeared from the west, skimming over the entire surface of the world without touching the ground, and between its eyes it had one prominent horn. 6 It approached the two-horned ram, which I had seen standing by the river, and charged it with savage fury.
7 I saw it charge the ram in a fit of rage and attack it with the full force of its fury, breaking both of its horns and leaving the ram powerless to withstand the attack. Having thrown the ram to the ground, it trampled it underfoot, and there was no one there to rescue the ram. 8 The he-goat then grew even more powerful but at the height of its strength the great horn shattered, and in its place there came forth four majestic horns pointing toward the four winds of heaven.
9 Out of one of these horns sprang forth a small horn which grew ever larger and poured forth its strength toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land. 10 It grew until it reached the host of heaven, after which it flung down to the earth some of the host as well as some of the stars and trampled on them.
11 It even challenged arrogantly the power of the prince of the host. It abolished his right to offer the daily sacrifice and destroyed his sanctuary. 12 The army, too, was abolished, while the daily sacrifice was replaced by sin. It cast truth to the ground and succeeded in everything it did.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the speaker, “How long will it be before this vision is fulfilled—the vision of sacrifice, the desolation of transgressions, and daily trampling of the sanctuary and the host?” 14 The first one replied, “Until two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings have passed. Then the sanctuary will be purified.”
15 Interpretation of the Vision. While I, Daniel, tried to understand the vision that I had seen, I saw someone standing before me who had the appearance of a man. 16 Then I heard a human voice from the Ulai cry out, “Gabriel, explain to him the meaning of the vision.” 17 As he then approached the place where I was standing, I fell prostrate in terror. However, he said to me, “Understand this, son of man. The vision refers to the end time.”
18 As he spoke to me, I fell to the ground in a trance, face downward. However, he touched me and raised me to my feet. 19 “I will show you,” he said, “what will take place later in the period of wrath, for at the appointed time there will be an end.
20 “The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The male goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes represents the first king. 22 As for the horn that was broken and replaced by four other horns, four kingdoms shall rise from his nation but be lacking his power.
23 “At the end of their reign,
when their sins have reached their zenith,
a king will arise,
bold in countenance and skilled in intrigue.
24 His strength will continually increase,
but not by any power of his own.
He will wreak untold havoc
and succeed in whatever he does.
He will destroy mighty nations
as well as the holy ones, God’s people.
25 “By cunning and deceit,
he will succeed in his treacherous plans.
He will devise great schemes
and wreak havoc on unsuspecting people.
He will finally challenge the power
of the Prince of princes,
but he will be broken
without any human intervention.
26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings
that has been revealed is true.
However, you must keep this vision secret,
because it points to times far ahead.”
27 Then I, Daniel, was overcome by exhaustion, and I lay sick for several days. After that I arose and attended to the king’s business. But I was perplexed by the vision, which I was unable to understand.
The Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks[c]
Chapter 9
According to the Word Revealed to Jeremiah . . . 1 In the first year of Darius, son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who became ruler of the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was studying the Scriptures and reflecting on the seventy years that, according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah, had to pass before the desolation of Jerusalem would come to an end.
3 Then I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord, my God, and made this confession, saying:
Lord, Have Mercy.[d] “O Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your covenant and show your steadfast love to those who love you and observe your commandments: 5 we have sinned and done what is wrong, we have acted wickedly and rebelled, we have rejected your commandments and your laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the Prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 “Righteousness is on your side, O Lord. As for us, we are filled with shame even to this day—we, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the countries to which you have dispersed us because of the treachery that we have committed against you.
8 “O Lord, we are filled with shame—our kings, our princes, and our fathers—for having sinned against you. 9 But you, O Lord, our God, are always prepared to show compassion and forgiveness. Yet we rebelled against you 10 and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, our God, by following your laws that you have given to us through your servants the Prophets.
11 “All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away from you, refusing to obey your commands. Therefore, the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down upon us because we have sinned against you. 12 You confirmed your threats, which you made against us and our rulers by bringing upon us in Jerusalem the greatest calamity that the world has ever experienced.
13 “Just as it is written[e] in the law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us. We failed to entreat the favor of the Lord, our God, by renouncing our wickedness and reflecting upon his fidelity. 14 Therefore, the Lord has watched us carefully, and now he has brought this disaster upon us. The Lord is just in all of his dealings with us, but we have not listened to his voice.
15 “And now, O Lord, our God, who led your people out of the land of Egypt with your mighty hand and caused your name to be renowned, even to this very day: we have sinned, we have acted wickedly. 16 Lord, in keeping with your saving deeds, we beg you to allow your anger and wrath to turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. As a result of our sins and the crimes of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of scorn to all those who surround us.
17 “Now therefore, our God, listen to the prayers and supplications of your servant, and for your own sake, O Lord, let your face shine upon your desolate sanctuary. 18 Incline your ear, O my God, and listen. Open your eyes and look upon our desolation and upon the city that bears your name. We present our petition to you, relying not upon our upright deeds but rather upon your great mercy.
19 “Listen to us, O Lord! Forgive us, O Lord! Do not delay, O my God, for your own sake, because your city and your people bear your name.”
20 Seventy Weeks Are Decreed.[f] While I was still speaking, still occupied with my prayer and confessing my sins and the sins of my people Israel and presenting my supplication to the Lord, my God, on behalf of his holy mountain— 21 while I was still speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen previously in a vision, swooped down on me in rapid flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.
22 He then spoke these words to me: “Daniel, I have now come down to you to give you understanding. 23 As you began your supplications, an answer was given, and I have come to make it known to you, for you are greatly beloved. Therefore, consider carefully the answer and comprehend the vision.
24 “Seventy weeks are decreed
for your people and your holy city:
for bringing an end to transgression,
for putting an end to sin,
for expiating iniquity,
for introducing everlasting righteousness,
for ratifying vision and prophecy,
and for anointing the Holy of Holies.
25 “Know therefore, and understand this:
From the time that the message was sent:
‘Return and rebuild Jerusalem,’
until the coming of an anointed prince,
there shall be seven weeks.
During sixty-two weeks
it shall be rebuilt and restored
with streets and trenches
in a troubled time.
26 “After the sixty-two weeks
an anointed one will be cut off
and have nothing.
And the troops of a leader who is to come
will destroy the city and the sanctuary.
Then the end will come like a torrent,
and until the end there will be war,
the devastation that has been decreed.
27 “During the space of one week
he will make a firm alliance with many people,
and for the space of half a week
he will put a stop to sacrifice and oblation.
And on the temple wing
will be the terrible abomination
until the end that has been decreed
is poured out upon the desolate city.”
Israel’s Suffering and Deliverance[g]
Chapter 10
Vision of the Hellenistic Wars. 1 In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel, who had been given the name Belteshazzar. The revelation, which dealt with a great conflict, was valid, and its meaning was disclosed to him in a vision.
2 At that time I, Daniel, had been mourning for three weeks.
3 I refrained from eating any choice food, abstaining from consuming meat or wine, and I did not anoint myself until those three weeks had passed.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I stood on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face shone like lightning, and his eyes were like fiery torches. His arms and his feet gleamed like burnished bronze, and the sound of his voice was like the roar of a multitude.
7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw this vision. Those who were with me did not see the vision, but they were seized with such great fear that they fled and hid themselves. 8 Thus I was left alone to behold this great vision. My strength drained away, and I was powerless, as my face turned deathly pale. 9 Then I heard the sound of his voice and as I did so I fell into a trance with my face to the ground.
10 The Mission of the Angel Gabriel. But then I felt a hand touch me, and as I trembled I was raised to my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you are greatly loved. Pay close attention to the words that I am about to speak to you. Stand up now, for I have been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.
12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you resolved to gain understanding and to humble yourself before God, your prayer was heard. It is because of your resolve that I have come to you. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia thwarted me for twenty-one days, but finally Michael,[h] one of the chief princes, came to help me. I left him there to confront the prince of the kingdom of Persia, 14 and I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the final days. For there is yet a further vision for those days.”
15 While he was speaking these words to me, I prostrated myself on the ground and was speechless. 16 Then someone who looked like a man touched my lips. I opened my mouth and said to the person standing before me, “My lord, anguish has overcome me at this vision, and I no longer have any further strength. 17 How can I, my lord’s servant, speak to you now that I have no strength left in me and my breath fails me?”
18 The one who looked like a man touched me again and strengthened me, saying, 19 “Do not be afraid, greatly beloved. You have been specially chosen. Peace be with you. Have courage and be strong.” 20 As he spoke to me, I once again felt strong, and I said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
Then he asked, “Do you know why I have come to you? I must first return to fight against the king of Persia, and when I have overcome him, the prince of Greece will appear. 21 But I have been delegated to tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth. There is no one to lend me support except Michael, your prince.
Salutation. 1 The Presbyter[a] to my beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that everything is going well with you and that your bodily health is equal to that of your soul.[b]
Commendation of Gaius. 3 I rejoiced greatly when some of the brethren[c] arrived and related how faithful you are to the truth, and that you continue to walk in the truth. 4 Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 [d]Beloved, you have been faithful in everything you do for the brethren, especially to strangers. 6 They have testified before the Church to your love. Please continue to help them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they began their journey for the sake of the Name,[e] and they have refused to accept any support from nonbelievers. 8 Therefore, we ought to show hospitality to such people so that we may be collaborators in the truth.
Condemnation and Diotrephes. 9 I have previously written something to the Church, but Diotrephes,[f] who enjoys being in a position of leadership, refuses to acknowledge our authority. 10 Therefore, if I come, I shall draw attention to what he is doing. He has circulated false charges against us. And not content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brethren but interferes with those who want to do so and expels them from the Church.
11 Exhortation to Gaius. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil; rather, imitate what is good. Whoever does what is good is from God. Whoever does what is evil has never seen God.[g]
12 Example of Demetrius. Everyone has spoken favorably about Demetrius,[h] and so has the Truth itself. We also will vouch for him, and you are well aware that our testimony is true.
13 Conclusion.[i]I have much to write to you, but I do not think it prudent to do so with pen and ink. 14 Instead, I hope to visit you in the very near future, when we can talk together face to face.
15 Peace be with you. The friends[j] send you their greetings. Greet each of our friends there by name.
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